Headlight



March 4-; 1941. I M, P, F ow 2,233,486

HEADLIGHT Filed Dec. 13, 1939 VINVENTOR BY M'CAQVC/ 7? Pafi/how agmmiATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

. a reasonable cost and which after filament burnout may be renewed bymerely replacing the burned-out lamp with a similar new lamp whichmaybe-quickly and easily connected thereto even by an -unskilled person.The headlight of. this invention is of such construction that theassembly and substitution of parts is fool-proof.

These and other advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and appended drawing, wherein- Figure 1 representsa front view of the headlight embodying the invention, with a portionofthe lens broken away. I

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure-3 is afragmentary rear view showing the reflector, lamp andlocking device assembly.

.Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear view showing the construction on therear of the reflector to which may be connecteda lamp.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the locking device.

Figure 6 is a plan-view of the lamp flange.

As shown in the drawing. thereis provided areflector. ll] of parabolicor .other desired contour. The reflector ID is preferably ofpredetermined size and contour and has, a predetermined focalpoint. Theinterior or reflecting surface. ll

of the reflector I0 is a polished or, mirror surface ofv any desirablecomposition, such as silver or the like. The body of the reflector I0may be of: any desired composition and I prefer that it be metallic.Integral with the front edge of the reflector and extending outwardlytherefrom is anarrow flange I2 having a plurality of and at least threestruck out tabs l3 bent over, with the extreme or outer free ends of thetabs [3 being located in a predetermined plane and at a predetermineddistance from the focal point of the reflector.

An annular gasket or packing ring I4 is mounted on the flange l2. Thegasket or ring l4 may be composed of any desirable material, such asasbestos, rubber, soft leather and the like, I prefer that it be aweatherproof material adapted to be compressed. The thickness of thegasket I I is preferably a little greater than the distance between theouter face of the flange I2 and the outer limit of stops l3.

A lens [5 terminating in a ring or flange I6 is mounted on the reflectorIII, with the ring I6 bearing against the compressible gasket I4. The

lens is of predetermined size and contour and has a predetermined focalpoint. A boss I1 is located. at a predetermined point on the flange IBsothat the lens may be mounted in one position. only.

Integral with the flange l2 and extending upwardly therefrom is a narrowring lawhose' diameter is approximately the same as the externaldiameter of the gasket l4 and flange l6. Integral with the ring I8 andextending inwardly therefrom is a narrow flange l9 which presses thelens i5 towards the flange l2, compresses the gasket 14 and. pressesagainst the outer extremities of the tabs I 3 so that the lens islocated at a predetermined distance from the focal point of thereflector l0 and the locating flange I6 is located in a predeterminedplane. The flange l9 has. a small cut out 2i] therein to accommodate theboss I! so that the lens cannot be mounted upside down, but may bemounted in one position only. Mounted on the rear of the flange l2 are aplurality of lugs 2 I for properly positioning the reflector in. anautomobile or the like. These lugs 2i are asymmetrically spaced fromeach. other and bear a predetermined angular relationship to said focalpoint of said' reflector.

Thev rear end of said reflector. has an opening therein through whichmay be inserted the bulb of a lamp. Integral with the reflectorv at theopen-- ing at the rear thereof is a curved portion 22 terminating in an.outwardly extending flange or shelf 23. The. flange 23' is narrow andhas a plurality of and at least three struck out tabs or stops 24. Thestops 24 are spaced from each other and the extreme ends or outer facesthereof are located in a predetermined plane and at a predetermineddistance from the focal point of reflector l0. Integral with the flange23is a ring or band 25 of considerable depth or width. I

prefer that the ring 25 be circular over about three-quarters of itsperiphery, but the remainder thereof be straight or of some othercontour at 26 so that alamp may be mounted in one position only.

A compressible weatherproof gasket 21 similar in composition andcharacteristics to gasket I4 is located on the shelf 23 and between thestops 24 and ring 25. The thickness of the gasket 21 is preferablygreater than the distance between the face of the shelf 23 and the outerlimit of stops 24.

The ring 25 has a pair of spaced short elliptical opening 28 through thecircular portion thereof, and an inverted T slot substantialldiametrically opposite the mid-space between the openings 28. The T slotconsists of a short stem 29 extending through the outer free edge ofring 25, with the cross part 30 thereof extending an appreciabledistance from either side of stem 29 and communicating therewith.

A three post, two filament incandescent electric lamp 3| may be mountedinto the reflector I8 from the rear thereof so that the headlight isweatherproof as well as dust proof and the lamp may be replaced after ithas burned out to again provide a weatherproof and dust proof headlight.The lamp 3| may include a filament enclosing bulb 32 and base 33 onwhich is secured a ring 34 located at a predetermined distance from thefilaments and in a predetermined planewith respect to the filament. Thering 34 is circular ex cept for a portion thereof which isstraight as at35 so that the external perimeter of the ring is only a trifle less insize but of exactly'the same contour as is the interior surface of thering rear of reflector I8 and the lamp is rotated until? the straightedge 35 of flange 34 is coincident with the straight portion 26 of ring25 so that the lamp can be mounted in one way only. Then the lamp ispushed forwardly towards the lens and the flange 34 is pressed againstgasket 21 to compress the same and pressure is continued until theflange 34 presses against the outer extremiti-es of the stops 24.

Then with the other hand a detachable looking device 31 is mounted onthe ring or band 25 to lock the lamp 3| in position and maintain theflange 34 against the stops 24. In this construction there is provided aheadlight which is weatherproof, the lamp thereof, when burned out,

maybe replaced in an easy manner toprovide a new unit without thenecessity of replacing all of the parts because the characteristics ofthe new unit will be exactly the same as those of the original unit.

The locking device 31 may be made from a single elongated piece ofspring steel or the like. As shown it may be of the contour shown inFigure 5, with a pair of straight ends 38 parallel to and spaced fromeach other, outwardly curved portions 39 extending from one extreme ofeach of ends 38 defining a split stem Y, side arms 40 extending from thecurved portions 39. The side arms 40 are curved or bowed and areparallel to each other. A portion 4|, in the same horizontal plane asthe ends 38 extends from each bowed side arm 48.

The portions 4| extend outwardly, curve around and then extend inwardlyto define a U angularly disposed with respect to the length of side arms40. A cross bar 42 is located in the same plane as the outer parts ofthe bowed arms 48 and is connected to the inner ends of the U portions4| by short arms 43.

In operation the lamp 3| is inserted into the It is reflector withflange 34 on the gasket 21. pushed forward to compress the gasket anduntil the flange 34 presses against stops 24. Then the U portions 4| arelocated in the openings 28 and the ends 38 are pulled downwardly tospring the bowed arms 48 and the cross arm 42 against the outer face ofthe flange, The ends 38 are brought together and pushed through the slot29 w and into slot 38 when they are released and spring outwardly tobecome engaged in the ends of slot '30. The locking device 31 isanchored in openings 28 and 38 and its cross bar 42 and'side arms 40press against flange 34 to rigidly maintain the lamp 3| in position andagainst stops 24 and to compress the gasket 21.

When lamp 3| burns out, the locking deviceis removed by compressing ends38 towards each other and sliding them upwardly out of slot 29 and thenpulling is applied at ends 38 to pull the U portions 4| out of-theelliptical openings 28.

A lamp exactly the same asthe removed lamp is replaced and locked to thereflector with locking device 31 in the manner'heretofore described.

Although the invention has been described in detail, it is not to belimited to the exact construction shown, because such changes may beresorted thereto which are within the-scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed:

A headlight comprising a lamp including a maintaining said lensagainst'said stops, said re flector having an opening in the rearthereof adapted to accommodate said bulb, a shelf secured to saidreflector-adjacent said opening, a collar secured to said shelf, theperiphery of said collar being the same as the peripheryjof saidasymmetrical flange, a plurality ofstops secured to said shelf, acompressible weatherproof band mounted on said shelf, said lamp mountedin said reflector, with the bulb thereof located in said reflector andthe asymmetrical flange adjacent said second band, removable meanscooperating with said collar and pressing against said asymmetricalflange to lock said lamp in position, to compress said second band andmaintain said asymmetrical flange against said second stops. 3

MICHAEL P. PORTNHOW.

